Where Orlando Families Can Donate Used Crayons
If your home is anything like most Orlando households with kids, you probably have a drawer, bin or backpack pocket overflowing with crayons. Some are broken in half, others are missing their paper wrappers and a few favorite colors have been reduced to tiny stubs.
While it may be tempting to toss them in the trash, those leftover crayons can still make a big, beautiful impact… because, yes, you can donate used crayons!
Every year, millions of crayons end up in landfills, even though they can be recycled, repurposed and redistributed to children who need them. Whether they support classrooms, brighten a hospital stay or stock a community art center, donated crayons help put creativity into the hands of kids throughout Central Florida and beyond.
August is National Crayon Collection Month, making it the perfect time for Orlando families to clean out craft cabinets and give those gently used crayons a new purpose.
Why Crayon Donations Matter
Coloring isn’t just fun; it’s an important learning tool. Crayons help children develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, creativity, color recognition and self-expression. Teachers use crayons for everything from art projects to reading and math lessons.
Unfortunately, many educators purchase classroom supplies with their own money. Donating crayons can help stretch school budgets and ensure students have access to basic learning materials.
Crayons also play an important role in healthcare settings. Hospitals frequently use coloring and art activities to help children manage stress, anxiety and boredom during treatment or recovery. A simple box of crayons can bring comfort and a sense of normalcy to a child facing a difficult time.
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Donate Used Crayons to National Crayon Donation Programs
If you’d like your family’s crayons to support children across the country, several organizations make donating easy.
The Crayon Initiative
The Crayon Initiative takes broken crayons that might otherwise be discarded and transforms them into new crayons. The recycled crayons are then donated to children’s hospitals throughout the United States, supporting art programs and brightening the days of young patients.
You can either drop off unwanted crayons at Staples or ship directly to The Crayon Initiative.
The Crayon Collection
The Crayon Collection partners with schools, restaurants, hospitals, community organizations and families to collect new and gently used crayons and redistribute them where they’re needed most.
The organization encourages volunteers to host collection drives to keep usable crayons out of landfills and supports children nationwide. The Crayon Collection will even send collection boxes to those launching collections.
National Crayon Recycle Program
The National Crayon Recycle Program collects unwanted crayons and gives them new life through recycling and redistribution efforts. Families can participate through collection events and partner organizations that help divert crayons from landfills while supporting educational and community programs.
The National Crayon Recycle Program has downloadable resources on its website to help families gather crayons from friends and neighbors. These donations can then be shipped directly to the organization.
Donate Used Crayons to Orlando Sites
Want your donation to stay local in Orlando? Several organizations throughout Central Florida may be able to put gently used crayons to work right here in our community.
A Gift for Teaching
One of Central Florida’s best-known education nonprofits, A Gift for Teaching, provides free classroom supplies to teachers serving students in Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Brevard counties. Crayons are among the many school supplies educators use throughout the year, making them a valuable donation item. The nonprofit accepts new and like-new crayons, among many other education-based products.
As a mom of two, I literally have tons of unused crayons (you know, not every color is beloved by every kiddo)!
Orlando Community Art Supply
Creative reuse centers like Orlando Community Art Supply give art materials a second chance by making them available to artists, educators, nonprofits and community groups. Gently used crayons can become valuable resources for art projects and educational programs instead of ending up in the trash.
More Local Ways to Donate Used Crayons
Call local sites, such as:
- Boys & Girls Clubs
- Libraries
- Local daycares
- Local shelters
- After-school programs
- Children’s art-centered programs
- Children-focused nonprofits
- Title 1 schools
- Head start programs
NEW ONLY: Crayon & Supply Donations
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children has a wish list of craft supplies, toys, games and more. This includes crayons; however, API does allow supporters to donate used crayons. Rather, API asks that all items be new, unwrapped and in their original packaging. Coloring supplies are often used during pediatric hospital stays to help young patients stay engaged and entertained.
First Orlando also hosts a school supply drive to benefit local students at Washington Shores Elementary, iHope Mentoring, LIFT Orlando, Catalina Elementary, Rock Lake Elementary, Pinewood Elementary and more.
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Donate Used Crayons as a Family Project
Donating crayons is a simple way to teach children about generosity, recycling and community service. Invite your kids to sort through their art supplies, separate broken crayons from usable ones and help choose a donation destination.
You can even expand the project by collecting crayons from neighbors, classmates, scout troops, church groups or sports teams. A small neighborhood collection can quickly add up to hundreds of crayons ready for a new home.
So, when you find a box of crayons in the back of your playroom closet, don’t throw them away! Please donate used crayons. Those colorful leftovers could help a teacher stock a classroom, support a child’s hospital stay or inspire the next masterpiece from a young artist right here in Central Florida. Now that’s a bright idea!
